These squash cups stuffed with spicy sausage and rice are a fun, all-in-one summer dinner.
Chorizo and Rice Stuffed Pattypan Squash
Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 (4-inch-wide) pattypan squash (about 12 ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1⅓ cups chicken broth
- ⅔ cup basmati rice
- 2 (4-ounce) links chorizo sausage, casings removed
- ⅔ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Garnish: chopped green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Cut off top quarter from larger end of each squash; discard tops. (You may need to trim a small bit from narrow end to keep squash level in skillet while baking.) Scoop out pulp, leaving about a ½-inch shell. Reserve 1 cup pulp; coarsely chop.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add squash shells, cut side down; cook until lightly browned around the edges, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Turn squash cut side up; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.
- Bake until softened, about 18 minutes. Remove squash from skillet; set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring broth and remaining ½ teaspoon salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; add rice. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.
- In same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion, and garlic; cook until browned and crumbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add reserved 1 cup squash pulp; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove sausage mixture from skillet. Wipe skillet clean.
- Stir sausage mixture, ⅔ cup cheese, cilantro, cumin, and pepper into rice. Spoon rice mixture into squash shells, mounding slightly. Place in skillet, and loosely cover with foil.
- Bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining ⅓ cup cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more. Garnish with green onion, if desired.
Notes
KITCHEN TI: Other varieties of round squash, such as Eight Ball, can be used if pattypan is unavailable.
